India, Sept. 17 -- It is a truth universally acknowledged that to be considered sophisticated, a city must be in possession of an artist whose work is so deeply tied to its rhythms that it is impossible to think of either in isolation. If Frida Kahlo shares that elemental relationship with Mexico City, so does MF Husain with Mumbai, van Gogh with Arles, da Vinci with Florence, Anjolie Ela Menon with Delhi, Monet with Paris, Mario with Goa, Andy Warhol with NYC, and Abanindranath Tagore with Calcutta.

Which begs the question: which artistic personage is bound as inextricably to our own ooru? K Venkatappa, the temperamental 20th century genius at the Mysore court, who has an art gallery named after him in the city, is a possible contender,...